{"sf1_id":1982757,"sf2_id":"ve3yojvn","title":"ND: Talia Path Day 7 (Resistance)","author":"LiveIron","words":7563,"posted_at":"2023-05-04T18:33:45.000Z","tags":["ADHG","AHDG","Action","Adult","Adult Content","Alternate Society","Amazon","Anthro","Anthrostate","Ass","Battle","Big Boobs","Big Tits","Biting","Bittersweet","Booty","Butt","CYOA","Canid","Choose Your Own Adventure","Cock","Compassion","Couple","Cuddle","Cuddling","Desperation","Dog","Dread","Dystopia","Emotional","Erection","Eventual Happy Ending","Eventual Relationships","Eventual Romance","Eventual sex","Explicit","F/M","Fear","Femdom","Fight","Fighting","Flirtation","Foreplay","Forest","French Kissing","Friends to lovers","Friendship","German Shepherd","Gray Wolf","Greentext","Grin","Grinning","Groping","Gun","Guns","HMOFA","Hard-On","Harsh","Heterosexual","Hiking","Hug","Human","Interspecies","Kissing","Laugh","Licking","Love","Lupine","Lust","M/F","Male/Female","Mammal","Mild Erotica","Multiple Species","Musk","Naked","Novel","Nude","Nudity","Outdoors","Pain","Penis","Rebellion","Relationships","Risk of Discovery","Romance","Scent","Second Person","Semi Consensual","Series","Shirtless","Size Difference","Smothering","Story","Story Series","Straight","Suggestive","Timber Wolf","Tongue","Topless","Tree","Uniform","Various Species","Violence","Weapon","Wolf","Wolfess","Young Romance","relief","travel"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1982757-nd-talia-path-day-7-resistance","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/ve3yojvn","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/42/a4/42a425b1-4dae-4780-aa37-400ca8e117b3","description":"The day has finally arrived. Anon and Talia are missing their trial, and are near the border.  \nOnly problem is, they don't know if they've crossed it yet.","content":"\\\u003e\"This looks to be as shallow as it'll get.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou let out a small groan, eyeing up the dark water.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Come on, Anon, all your stuff's gonna be fine. That bag is waterproof.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Not my gun...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia grunts, unzipping another waterproof bag.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Hold it above your head, then,\" she says, taking off her boots. \"We still don't have any carry bags long enough for it.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"At this rate, we might as well just stay naked.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf snorts, giving you a dirty look as her pants come off.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"...Maybe we should, you horny little bastard.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe small ponds and lakes have been getting in your way ever since you started for the day. They were what mad you stop last night, too.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAs the sun went down, the two of you just kept walking, hand in hand. But even with Talia's wolf eyes, she didn't want to risk navigating the water in the dark. Getting lost in the night was easy enough.\n\n \n\n\\\u003ePart of you thinks she did it so you'd finally rest. She was probably right to do so.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf didn't tell you how far off the border was, but you can't imagine it's far. You know this part of the border is dotted with little bodies of water, you saw it on the map.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt’s scale just didn't do them justice.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen you woke up, you realized the one you camped next to was huge. It was like most you’ve encountered, widest east to west, like someone clawed a giant gash in the earth.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThat didn’t make trying to cross it any easier, though. It was still a swim of 30 or 40 feet.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eFor a while the two of you made your way around them, but by mid morning your nerves won out. You began crossing them, taking your chances with leeches and sharp stones.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia's frequent glances behind the two of you helped matters none. She said it was just nothing every time you called her on it, but you knew damn well what day it is.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt's Sunday -- the day of your trial. And as of a few hours ago, you've both missed your appointment.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt's open season.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou make sure to leave a good amount of air in the bag, wishing for the hundredth time today that you'd brought along wet-shoes. Even rubber sandals would be nice. The bottom of all the ponds you've come across has been pure silt, coating your feet to the ankle in a clayey slime.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThat, and even if you're gonna be staying... natural from here on out, you still need something tougher than your bare soles.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia snickers as you start to wade in, slowing down ahead of you to watch.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fuck off,\" you growl, watching the water slowly creep up your thighs.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I can see it shrinking,\" the she-wolf says, leering as you take a sharp breath.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"F-fuck you...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou shudder when the water rises past your groin, the experience brisk as ever. The water isn't very cold, but something about wading in naked captures the feeling.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You pack any soap?\" you ask. You're up to your chest now, and raise your 1901 high over your head.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"No,\" the she-wolf says, hardly in up to her stomach. \"That'd make us even easier to track.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You should have,\" you say. \"On top of just smelling like you normally do, you're gonna reek of wet dog when we're done.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia gives you a sarcastic chuckle; you yelp when she nearly splashes you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Hey, watch the gun!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You're not springtime-fresh either, Anon...”\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou say nothing as the water comes up to your neck. You curse softly before taking a deep breath and jumping off the spongy bottom, kicking forward.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt's not easy, but you make it the 20 feet or so to the other side, able to stand again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia's ahead of you as usual, water already dripping off her tail.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"And I thought you liked my stink, you bastard!\" she says. She does a full-body shake when she reaches dry land, kicking her legs a little; you pull your gun back, even if it's plenty far away.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I said 'scent.' That's different.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer laughter echoes off the trees as you slosh onto shore.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"And what would you know about 'scent?'\" she asks, snorting as you carefully lay the 1901 down. \"You're a human, you can hardly smell anything at all!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Yeah, well, I can smell the difference between good stink and bad stink.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou crouch down and unzip the bag, pulling out your shirt and boots. Dripping water betrays Talia’s presence, her paws impossibly quiet on the leafy bank.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou sigh as the big, wet she-wolf crouches down over you, pressing in and squeezing you from behind with her thighs.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You want a little refresher?\" she asks, pulling your head back against her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Don't need one,\" you say, toweling off your feet. \"I could smell you when you were standing over there.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe lets out a soft growl, and gently digs her claws into your chest. You ignore her, and lean back against her to put on your boots.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"What're you doing?\" she asks. \"I kinda like that naked idea you had.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I'm sure you do,\" you say, \"but not all of us have rough paws.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I'll have you know they're very soft and sensitive.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Uh-huh.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe backs off with a huff, letting you finish.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Rest of you is gonna stay naked, right?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You're gonna be ahead of me anyway,\" you reply, toweling off your chest with the shirt. Don't want the 1901's strap getting wet.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"And give you a free show?\" she snorts. \"I don't think so.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can hear her tail wagging as you put the shirt away, water droplets spraying out on the leaves.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"But you leering at _my_ ass is fine, right?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I never said I'd be doing that,\" the she-wolf says, watching you get your pack on. You shift it into place with a bounce and tighten the straps; it's not your backside she's staring at...\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Never said you wouldn't be, either.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf sighs as you set off, walking alongside you this time.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fine. I guess we'll both have to go without eye candy...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou crest a rise, and find with some relief that there's still land ahead. More than once, the two of you waded out or walked around a bit of water, only to find that your destination was a peninsula.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eA few of the lakes were bad, mainly because they were big. Swimming across wouldn't be worth it with all the energy it'd take, and it likely wouldn't save much time. Talia hadn't brought an inflatable kayak or anything, since she wasn't intending on needing a boat before she'd gotten settled. That left going around as the only option.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou're not sure how much distance that had cost you, and now, you need to know.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia, where are we?\" you ask. \"How far?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"We're close,\" the she-wolf grunts. \"All the --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"--All the lakes and ponds mean we're close to the border,\" you finish. \"I get it. But can't we get a little more precise? More accurate?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia stays quiet, not looking down at you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Are we --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I don't know.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer voice is firm, but her steps aren't steady.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I don't know if we're across yet, Anon. These maps ain't detailed enough for me to keep track, I -- I can't use the ponds for reference. There's thousands of them around here, and they're all practically the same.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe sighs.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Some ain’t even big enough to show up.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"What about the lakes?\" you ask. \"Those are big enough, right?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Same problem,\" she says. \"They'll show up, but without spending a whole lot of extra time, no way of telling which one we're walking around.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou grunt. You suppose that's true. Even now, you're having a tough time measuring progress. The woods have stayed pretty consistent, all short undergrowth beneath taller trees, thankfully none of it very dense. There's more sections of a swampy ground, where felled trees rot among layers of leaves, but it looks a lot like yesterday aside from that.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThere’s less signs of human habitation, too. No more fallow fields or abandoned roads. The closest you've seen are ancient beer bottles alongside game trails, from some wayward hunter or hiker decades ago.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt gives you some comfort.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia picked this spot to cross the border specifically because it was remote, away from the more popular areas for kayakers and wilderness enthusiasts. Not seeing any portage marks or litter is a good sign.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBut you still find yourself unsatisfied.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"What about GPS?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"We'd know where we are,\" Talia grunts, \"but so would they. And their friends across the border would be much more likely to come after us if they've got a ping on our location.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAfter a few moments, you see her stiffen. She grabs your shoulder and stops you, looking down with narrowed eyes.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fuck, you killed your phone, right?\" she asks. \"They can use those, too.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Yeah, it ran out of juice before I found you. Was going to charge it back up, but then... you know.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Yeah,\" the she-wolf sighs, starting off again, \"I know.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou follow, only sneaking one glance down at her bare, white, full moon. She cocks her head back at you after a little bit, but it's not about her ass.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You left it there, right?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"No? It's in my pack.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia stiffens again, stopping and turning to you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Why the hell not?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"It's dead, Talia, it --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"It's dead weight,\" she corrects, \"and the instant you power it on, they'll have a new fix on us. There's no point in keeping it.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look up at her, her ears slightly pulled back.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Dropping it here would only confirm that we came through,\" you say. \"SIM card isn't active, so we're fine. We can take it out when we get wherever we're going.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe stares at you for a little bit, before continuing on with a quiet grunt. You're content to keep things that way, letting the forest ambiance fill your ears.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe wind blows gently through the leaves, carrying the sounds of far-off birds and the droning of insects and frogs. Your footfalls on the soft ground are muted, while Talia's are silent.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe sun is out again today; you'd be worried about getting burned if you weren't under the canopy most of the time.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou wonder how much protection the trees will give come winter. The snow has been coming later each year, but the cold is always reliable. There's still a few months before the ground freezes, but you worry anyway. You don't know how long it'll take the two of you to find somewhere to settle.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIn fact, you don't know what the plan is at all when you succeed.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIf you succeed.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"So, you have fur,\" you say, \"but how am I supposed to survive the winter?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"There are towns,\" Talia replies, \"Tiny ones. We'll get you something warm.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"With what money?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"What we've got,\" she says, \"and what we earn. If what I brought to get us started ain't enough, we... we'll figure something out.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThere's something in the tone of her voice. You recognize it, from when she was talking about progress towards the border.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAgain, you're screwing up plans.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBut now doesn't seem like the time to make a scene of it. Not when the two of you are so close.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can worry about how you'll survive in NSE when you actually get there.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou keep quiet through the middle of the day -- about that, at least.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThere's much cursing and groaning from the both of you each time a body of water gets in your way. They're mostly smaller now, so skirting around them is easy, but it's still time lost.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour thoughts are on that now. On the unknown time limit the two of you have.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia tries to keep you distracted, delighted that you've decided to stay nude. And admittedly, it works.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou play along, doing your best to return all her jabs and teasing remarks.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Albino\" is met with \"mangy cur,\" \"beanpole\" is met with \"furball.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer overbearing worry about you getting scraped and scratched by stray branches is met with the word \"vulnerable.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf's ears pull back at that one, and she slugs you good.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I might keep you down there for good next time...\" she mutters; you clench your fists, but it's too late.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can see her glancing down at you with a smug smirk, watching your pace slow slightly as your member bounces in front of you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"My, Anon,\" she says, \"I didn't know you packed a dowsing rod!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Shut up.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Or wait, is that supposed to be a sundial?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fuck off...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia shifts a bit closer, draping an arm across your shoulders. Her hips rub against you with each stride.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You know, it's not nice to tease like that, Anon,\" she says, her tail wagging and brushing your back. You push at her with an angry grunt, but she ignores you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe gives a throaty chuckle when you stiffen -- your whole body, now -- as her claws dig into your bare chest.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"If we weren't in a hurry,\" she says, voice huskier than usual, \"I might just punish you for it...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can feel the vibrations of her hum as she pulls you closer against her. She laughs at your groan, but yelps when you give her a smack on the ass.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe meaty sound echos off the trees, and you're laughing before she even pushes you away.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"A-_non_!\" she gasps, giving you an open-mouthed smile.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"How's that for teasing?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf growls at you, though her tail is wagging wildly. She turns to the south, her thumbs in the straps of her pack.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hear soft whines, her ears twitching; she's hesitant.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia, no,\" you say. She turns back to you, and bares her teeth in an almost evil grin.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia, yes,\" she growls, letting the bag fall.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAhh, shit.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia, now is _not_ the time,\" you say, though you ditch your bag. \"I'm not gonna fuck you until we're over the border.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe stalks forward slowly, and cocks her head with a chuckle.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Who said you'd be doing the fucking?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou turn and bolt.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Come on, Anon,\" she yells, \"let's see you make those noises again!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou run, your feet kicking up dirt and leaves. You can't feel the stones and twigs beneath them, or the scrape of the undergrowth and branches.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThere's just the wind on your skin, what's in front of you, and the sounds of the horny she-beast behind you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Where are you running?\" she asks, those thudding footfalls getting closer. \"It's just you and me out here, dumbass!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"And the State agents!\" you yell back. \"Talia, they'll find us!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Then stop running and let's make it quick!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou push harder, scrambling over the leaves.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Actually, keep running -- you didn't last very long last time anyway!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou don't retort, saving your breath. You try juking around a tree, only to sail through the air when a root trips you up. You briefly see the she-wolf careen off the trunk before you're rolling in the leaves and dirt.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAdrenaline can't block those scrapes and bruises now.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBefore you can get your legs under you, a furry mass pounces heavily on top of you. You get maybe two hits in before her claws find your wrists and grind them into the dirt beside your head.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia huffs as she shifts down your body, pulling her chest off your face. You gasp, partially for air and partially because she just dropped her weight on your hips.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe looks down at you, panting for a moment before she breaks into that evil smile again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Try -- and stop me,\" she says, letting go of your wrists.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThen she's on your lips, and her hands are behind your head and neck.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf cocks her head sideways and forces your lips apart, sliding her tongue in on yours. She ignores your hands on her shoulders and ribs, biting gently at your lips.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer tongue fills your mouth with each lap she takes, her warm breath flowing past it. You keep trying to push at her, groaning as you feel her nails dig in and hold your head in place.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen you feel her teeth scraping further and further up your cheeks, you try with renewed vigor.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe side of her lupine lips folds over your nose as she pushes you deeper into her mouth, giving you a kiss only her kind can. You grab at her fur now, but she doesn't notice, her upper half glued to yours.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen her tongue begins to flick at the back of your throat, you feel your toes curl.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf sets her jaw and begins to lap at the back of your mouth, nearly choking you. Your moans come in full force now, and you slap at her in a panic.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe squeezes her mouth over your face one last time before drawing back, teeth scraping over your cheeks. The _pop_ of her tongue leaving your mouth is masked by your gasps. They barely stop when she pinches your nose closed with her teeth, growling playfully.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Give up?\" she asks when you can speak again, a hand petting your hair.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Yeh... yeah...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia hums, giving you a kiss on the forehead before shifting around on top of you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt takes you a second to realize she's slid herself between your legs, spreading them apart. You groan, feeling her excitement against your groin.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I thought... we were... done...\" you pant. She pulls close, sliding your legs in the air.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Oh no,\" she purrs, reaching down and grabbing your dick. \"I said I'd punish you. Now get ready to --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf freezes mid-breath.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer ears prick, swiveling as she looks off to the side. She pulls off of you after a second and stands tall, staring off into the woods.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe doesn't spare you a word, just holding up a digit. Her tail is low, tensed.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen you hold your breath, you can hear it.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eA new, different drone, lower than the insects. Engines, punctuated by rotors.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eOh, fuck.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Stay here,\" Talia says before she starts to run.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Stay here!\" she barks.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe doesn't elaborate. She hardly hesitates, disappearing in the trees. That adrenaline is back, but you don't think you could catch up.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour hands twitch, the sound of the chopper looming large in your mind. You gasp, not realizing you were holding your breath.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eFuck, get a grip.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eGet a grip.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eGet a grip.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou think back to the various historical training manuals you've skimmed, all the ones that you saved copies of.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eFirst thing to do is find cover or concealment from the threat.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe forest canopy here provides some, but you're still fucked if they have any sensors -- which they might.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe leaves also won't mean shit if they send someone in on the ground -- which they also might.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look around, trying to find something, anything that’ll make for better cover. The terrain isn't severe enough for protective hollows, the undergrowth is too sparse, and the trees aren't thick enough.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fuck!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou slam the nearest one, starting to lose your cool. Then you realize it made a cracking noise.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look at it closer; the roots are jutting up slightly on one side, the whole tree leaning just a little.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt's the one that Talia bounced off of earlier.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou get down and start clawing at the dirt, snapping more roots. The earth is cold and spongy, more than a little damp. You don't know if it's a low spot or if it's something with the tree, but you don't care.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou haven't made much progress when you hear the clattering of gear. Talia skids to a stop behind you, dropping the packs and guns.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"What’re you doing?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Making a hole,\" you say, not stopping. \"Tree has exposed roots, and I don't see any other kinda cover.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe grunts, then shoves you aside.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Go hide our shit,\" she says, digging like a dog. \"And get some ground cover.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou grab the bags and go while she continues to spray dirt. The waterproof packs aren't exactly small, and the camo pattern they've got is only going to work far away. You wander with an aimless urgency, trying to find something to use.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThen it hits you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou dash towards the nearest opening in the trees, finding another blasted lake. You ditch the packs on shore, and scrounge around for a branch.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe droning is echoing in the open space of the lake; you force yourself to look down and focus. The sun's gaze on your back feels extra harsh.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou return to the bags when you have a good, large branch, and thread it through the straps. The spongy bottom of the lake squishes between your toes as you wade out with them, looking down.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eFor once, the water being murky might be a benefit.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou take a deep breath and go under. The gear is heavy enough that it'll sink, but the branch is not. You fumble blindly until it's trapped, then go up to check your handwork.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe branch sticks out from the water just barely. You're close enough to the bank that it'll pass for a sunken log on the ground, and the murky water will disguise it from the air.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hope, at least.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eOn the way back to the tree, you yank up some viney-looking ground cover, gathering it in your arms until you can hardly see. You nearly fall a few times before you make it back.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf is halfway under the tree now, the dirt mounded off her sides. You curse quietly, dumping the ground cover and pushing the dirt out of her way.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe doesn't thank you, but she doesn't get the chance. You're already running back for more ground cover -- this isn't going to look pretty, and you'll need all you can get.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe sound of motors and rotors is definitely louder now.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAs you tear up more camouflage, you begin to realize that it's fairly obvious that you've done so.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou curse, looking at the bare ground and torn stems. You drop the next load of camouflage off by Talia, clear out more dirt, and run back to the patch of ground cover.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAs you kick leaves and soil over the mangled vegetation, you can't help but think of rotorwash.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt takes far too long to make the patch of ground match the rest of the forest floor, but there's nothing else for it. Disguising one spot doesn't mean shit if you take all the leaves and detritus out from another.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen you arrive back at the tree, you face a similar problem. Backdirt is everywhere on the top layer of leaves. You get to spreading it, already looking for good sources of dead leaves to throw on top.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAs you scatter the dirt, the individual thumps of the helicopter blades become distinct.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBut there is a glimmer of hope.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe hole Talia has made is substantial, her heavy breathing muted by the earth around her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt takes you a moment to realize you're panting as well.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou push though, cleaning the she-wolf's excavation site and tamping it down. Root fragments now stab your feet instead of twigs.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou only notice the she-wolf going in by the change in sound. The dirt she flings doesn't go as far, landing quietly on the undergrowth you piled close by.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Stop trashing the dirt,\" she says, \"we'll need it now!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe's right. The slope down into the ghetto bunker is steep, but there's still a lot of space, more than you need or like.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Alright, the fuck do we do now?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Backfill, backfill!\" she says, motioning towards herself.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hesitate a second, feeling like you're about to bury her alive. Then you get over it and start shoving dirt down for her to try and pack solid.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou're gonna get buried down there _with_ her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe two of you don't have time to make a solid wall, but it's strong enough that it isn't collapsing in on you. She holds it still anyway as you drag the tangle of undergrowth over everything, fluffing out the edges as you hear the chopper's roar steady.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou nearly climb in before you remember the last detail.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf lets out a slight grunt when you slide her gun down to her; it takes her a second to get ready for yours.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou're fighting the muzzle of the 1901 as you slip beneath the tree, its awkward length accentuated. As you settle, you find yourself pressed up against the damp earthen walls, the warm limbs of your partner, and the cold gunmetal between you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou try not to think about all the shit that's on it now, and pull at the ground cover, Talia doing the same.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou shift the shotgun up, propping the barrel as best you can on the ledge. Your angle is shit, but it's better than nothing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia pants beside you, her breaths warming the space a little. You look over at her in the dim, double-filtered light; her back is hunched over again, like when she took her sisters' car earlier in the week, on --\n\n \n\n\\\u003e...Oh, God, that was on Monday...\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Get that barrel back,\" she whispers, trying to control her breaths. \"They'll see it.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"There's no room.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You've got a shitty angle.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Better than no angle.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf doesn't reply. Instead, she snakes her arm beneath yours, grabbing your left hand in her right.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe twines her fingers with yours and squeezes.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHard.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou lean into her a little, steadying your breaths. The sounds of the chopper are muted outside, but you know it's close. You don't think it's moving anymore, which means there's boots on the ground.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou strain your ears, your breathing shallow.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe two of you wait for a long, long time.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can feel the dirt and sweat creep into your various cuts and scrapes, Talia's fur irritating some scratch on your side. You don't look down, but you think one of her claws is fucked up. It feels different from the rest on the back of your hand.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBut you ignore it all, and focus on the sounds.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour breaths.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHers.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAnything outside.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eEventually you hear them, a few minutes after you felt Talia really tense up.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eUneven footfalls, the subtle plastic sound of loose gear.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThen radio noise, the sounds of check-ins.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen their voices become clear, you're craning your neck up, trying to catch anything through the undergrowth-filled slit.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Delta, report.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Still just a faint scent, nothing solid,\" you hear a deep, female voice say. \"All muddied up by others. You got the same, Jack?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThere's a grunt from somewhere else.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Yeah, he's got the same.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour thumb rests on the 1901's hammer. You still can't see anything, but you can visualize them. Chunky helmets with earholes, bulky vests and rifles. All in a matte black.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou see a hint of it as one of them passes near the tree, sniffing the air.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThey don't need to hide, not like the two of you do.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"All units stand by,\" you hear from the radio; you and Talia freeze, probably just as stiff as the two out there.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Hold positions. Birch, we've got bureaus on the line. Connecting you to them now.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou and Talia stiffen. The two jackboots groan, and you hear their safeties go on.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour thumb stays on the hammer as they sling their guns away, polymer and steel rubbing on polyester.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fucking hell,\" one of them mutters. \"Why'd they send us up here anyway? They haven't been here yet. Hell, there hasn't even been a team down to the last known location.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Strings,\" the other says. \"Why do you think there's an ATF agent out here with us?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour blood runs cold.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"It's her case, isn't it?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Yes, but most ATF cases don't get chopper support, especially if it's just for two no-shows. She knows someone, Jack.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Why'd she wait until now, then? Targets went dark like a day or two ago, right?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia squeezes your hand tight; you squeeze her back.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"My money? Courts wouldn't let her, not until the two of them were confirmed to be no-shows. That's probably why she's so pissed.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"She does seem like a bitch.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou somehow smile.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThat quickly changes as a set of idle footfalls come closer and closer.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThey stop, and you hear the ruffle of fabric, and then a zipper.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThen the sound of liquid spattering.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Jesus, Jack!\" the female says, \"Right in front of me?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe smell is strong, and you see it begin to drip in.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Jealous?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThen you feel it on your hand.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe one on the gun.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSomehow the State soldier doesn't hear you click the hammer back, his stream too loud.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBut Talia does.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer claws dig in, and you slide your eyes over to her. The soldier blocks most of the feeble light, but what little comes in shines on her eyes.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThey're fierce.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou keep your hand on the gun, but don't touch the trigger.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe jackboot above you sighs, his stream petering out. You hear his gear shuffle and clink as he shakes; somehow, the weak wall doesn't collapse.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can feel his footsteps as he walks off, his partner giving him some flak.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou're too busy simultaneously seething and being relieved to pay much attention.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia's grip on your hand lessens slightly; you give it a squeeze, making her look at you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer eyes are softer now. Almost apologetic.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe looks away, and begins to stroke your arm gently, quietly.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Alright, we're pulling out,\" the voice on the radio says. \"Navigation overshot the border for the LZ. Do a quick search of your zone and get back. If you see Agent Birch, do --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"--Stay here!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eEven through the distortion of the radio, you recognize the voice. There's no mistaking it.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"We need to comb the area, I can smell them! They're here, and we --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThere's a squawking noise, and the soldiers grunt.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Sorry about that. If you see Agent Birch, do not engage. Physically or otherwise. If she wants to cause an interSector incident, she'll do it without us.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eOne of the soldiers chuckles, and the other groans.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Crazy bitch...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou don't feel like you can breathe until you can't hear their gear anymore.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou don't feel like you can move until the chopper's roar starts getting faint.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou don't feel Talia next to you until after it's gone.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eWhen you do, it's because she shudders.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou see her eyes are wet. She looks at you, and sniffs. It still sounds strange, her nose still swollen.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Let's go,\" she says, her voice only shaking a little.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou groan as you climb out, your joints stiff. The undergrowth tries to cling to you as you emerge, naked and covered in dirt.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYour shotgun, similarly caked, hangs by your side as you reach down and pull up the she-wolf's SKS. You clear away the natural netting for her as she slips out.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe two of you stretch, feeling a few cracks, and then stand like that in the sunlight, staring at each other.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer fur is a few shades more brown, her mane a mess filled with bits of root.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer claws are dull, some are chipped.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAnd she stinks worse than ever.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou doubt you’re much better.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe two of you hug anyway, squeezing each other hard as you can manage with one arm.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou feel her muzzle fold over the back your head, pulling you just a little bit tighter to her chest.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe shudders again, just once.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou do too.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Where's the gear?\" she asks, when the two of you finally pull apart.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"That way, in a lake. I'll show you.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Good,\" the she-wolf says, following as you lead the way. \"You could do with a bath.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou sigh, going to sling your gun as she chuckles.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou catch yourself before you do, and thumb the hammer back down.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou're glad you did.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou could've had a Negligent Dis --\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia grabs you from behind, covering your mouth and yanking you off to the side. You grab at her her hand, but she shushes you as she drags you into a bush.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Listen.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hold your breath, but you don't hear anything. The she-wolf points, and you slowly begin to hear it.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eOddly-patterned footsteps, leaves and branches being disturbed. Then comes the breathing, heavy and inconsistent.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou pull the hammer back, and both of you settle into a crouch. You try to see through the leaves, but it's too dense.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe long barrel gets in your way again; readying the shotgun without shaking the branches is slow. By the time you do it, you can see her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003ePatricia is hunched over, not quite crawling along the ground some 50 yards away. She's sniffing, a pistol held high as she shuffles along, her breaths ragged.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou freeze when she bolts upright.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I know you two are here!\" she yells, her voice echoing among the trees. \"I know what you smell like! Come out, and take what's coming!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou shift your grip, feeling your fingers brush the lever. You see Talia has her SKS ready as well, grimy as she is.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe presses her snout to your ear, her whisper still faint.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Lay down, and stay.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look up at her; the she-wolf's features are firm.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSlowly, you lie down in the bush, careful about noise. Being naked means the gun is your biggest worry.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou jolt as there's a flurry of gunshots, then laughter.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Very clever!\" the shepherdess shouts. \"Nice spider-hole!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou realize that Talia is gone. You continue laying down.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fucking idiots,\" Patricia laughs, quieter now. \"They were right on top of you two, weren't they?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou don't jump as much when Talia fires. You know it's her, the report of the SKS much louder than whatever Pat is packing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou don't catch the hit, but you focus on the shepherdess as Talia fires again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSplinters fly this time, and Patricia scrambles behind a tree. You swear as she returns fire from the other side, her shots fast. She probably has extra mags, she can afford to be zealous.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eNot like you and Talia.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"6,\" you whisper to yourself, \"8 for Talia.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe waits for the echos to stop before speaking again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Are you naked?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThat throws you for a loop.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Yeah,\" you hear Talia call, somewhere to your right. \"What's it matter? You're still gonna shoot me.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I wasn't until you did it first!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou stifle a growl; you need to get a better angle. You eye up the terrain to your left, trying to find something suitable.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Bullshit!\" Talia yells. \"The fuck you call filling that spider-hole full of lead, then?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Pre-emptive strike,\" the shepherdess says.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou slowly roll out from the bush, careful as you raise yourself up.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"And from what you just did, it appears I was completely justified in doing so.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You ain't justified to do nothing! This is Sector NSE, Officer Bitch! You don't work here!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBreathe through your mouth. Focus.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"It is my _duty_ as an officer of the law to see my cases through. I wouldn't be here if you two hadn't run, and just come clean!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSlight rise, should be more behind. You wish you had brought a boltgun.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"...Speaking of,\" the shepherdess says, \"where is the little humie?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou freeze; she's still out of sight, but you swear you feel her gaze.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Gone.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Bullshit,\" Patricia says as you continue. \"I know he's out here. I tracked his phone.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou enter the shallow valley, trying to ignore your dick scraping along the forest floor.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Had to estimate from where it died,\" the shepherdess continues, \"but I got pretty damn close, didn't I?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You want the truth?\" you hear Talia say, just as you peek over the rise.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou see a brown, fluffy tail poking from behind a tree, stock-still.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"He's probably a mile ahead by now.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSlowly, you pull the shotgun up as Talia continues her lie.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I sent him ahead as soon as those soldiers of yours pulled out. I knew you wouldn't, Patricia. Because you're obsessed, thinking that he and I aren't a thing.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou pull the stock in, getting your cheekweld. 30 yards with a beadsight.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eNo pressure.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You wanna know something, Patricia?\" the she-wolf yells as you line up your shot. The slug should go through that wood.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Anon and I fucked!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou freeze, the sight on target.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"He and I fucked _all_ night long! Last night, and the one before that!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou notice the shepherdess' tail droop.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"We were fucking before you got here, in fact!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Christ, Talia,\" you mutter. She's taking far too much pleasure in this.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"It is real! It was real! It'll continue to be --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe 10 gauge kicks harder than you remember, the tree cracking almost as loud as your shot.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou're up to a knee in half a second, racking the lever. There's a blur of black and blue and you chase it with that brass bead, laying down more lead.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou sit for a second when she's gone, counting your shots. Three left. Probably.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia fired off some and you know Patricia did too. But you're not sure how many.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hesitate before you move, trying to hear past the ringing in your ears. You can't see anything and the woods seem quiet.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou run out to her piece of cover, low and fast, scanning where you thought she went. Your foot brushes something soft when you crouch down.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fuck..\" you breathe.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt's her tail.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou shot it off.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou grit your teeth, and think.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBloodtrail. There's gotta be a bloodtrail.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look, soon spotting dark red amongst the brown. You almost go after it, but then remember the shit they told you in hunter's safety: \"Check your surroundings.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia!\" you yell. \"Talia, you see her?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"No!\" the she-wolf says after a moment. \"Can you?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"No! Come to me! I'll cover you!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou stand tall, scanning the forest between you and her. There's only so many places the shepherdess could hide, only so many trees she could use.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou almost shoot Talia as she comes rushing towards you -- then you snap the shotgun to the left, firing off a shot.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Two,\" you hiss, racking the lever. No red mist, no scream of pain.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fuck,\" Talia hisses, her ears laid flat. \"Shit's loud.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe pulls you behind the tree, peeking past it with her head laid flat.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"How many rounds you got?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Two,\" you say. \"You?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Four.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou sigh.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Gotta make 'em count,\" you mutter, before tapping at her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Look down. Bloodtrail.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia's eyes widen a little when she sees the tail, but she says nothing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You track, and I'll give you overwatch.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Why do I have to keep my head down?\" she whispers, her ears flattening again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Because you're the wolf,\" you say.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"My nose is still fucked up!\" she hisses. You put your hand on her shoulder.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You'll be fine,\" you say. \"Don't worry -- I'll cover you.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe stares down at you, then gets down on a knee and starts. You look ahead, scanning the forest again.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt's so quiet.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSo damn quiet.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe air is nearly still, just a gentle breeze from the left.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe blood is sticky on your feet. More than just her tail got hit.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou realize you can smell it.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can smell _her_.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look to the left, catching the brass of her badge.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou fire as Patricia does, Talia emptying her mag before you've even racked the lever.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe shepherdess falls back into the brush 10 yards away.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe only thing you can hear is your heart as you stand there, staring at her over the bead. You see blood on your left arm, and touch your face.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe open graze stings.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Talia?\" you ask.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"...Clean,\" she says.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe deploys the SKS's bayonet after a second, looking up at you. You nod, and the two of you advance.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHalfway there, you realize she's still alive, her breathing strained. But she's not moving, that's for damn sure.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eAnd her gun is a few yards away from her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Should've left us alone, Pat.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou lower your gun then, and realize there's a hole in your left leg.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Fuck,\" you say, as Talia's nose twitches.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Shit,\" is all she says, looking at your leg. \"Shit. Shit!\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Ha-h,\" Patricia coughs. \"Got -- you, perp...\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou're staring down at the crimson: it's on the outer side. Not femoral.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eBut you still don't like the odds.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia rushes forward and looms over the shepherdess; you can hear the SKS creak in her grip.\n\n \n\n\\\u003ePatricia doesn't look good. There's big tears in her ballistic vest from the 7.62; each one probably felt like a sledgehammer.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe 10 gauge slug, though, didn't care. It ripped right through her right shoulder, leaving a red, jagged mess.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou want to vomit.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Don't,\" you say, as Talia raises her rifle like a spear. \"Leave it.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Why?\" she growls, staring down at the shepherdess.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Prove a point,\" you say, then groan. \"Get her medical pouch.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia doesn't hesitate, stabbing the rifle next to Pat's head. The shepherdess doesn't try to stop her as she rifles through the belt, finding a trauma kit.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou sit back on your ass, a little ways away from the fallen agent, and lift your leg with a cry; Talia's there in an instant, supporting it and tearing through the little plastic case.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou shift your grip on the 1901, taking your finger off the trigger. The pain hasn't come yet, but you know it will soon.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou stare up at the canopy, gripping the shotgun tight. Talia's hands shake as she wipes your leg, the case rattling whenever she reaches for another alcohol patch.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou grit your teeth as it seeps in, lighting up the entire side of your leg. Talia growls, and you hear more paper tearing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe pinches your mouth open and pushes something inside, drawing her fingers back when you splutter on them. You swallow the pills, and she goes back to your leg.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Still awake,\" you say -- but you don't look down at her.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia doesn't say anything back. She clamps down on your leg, squeezing your thigh like it's nothing.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer hand feels like it's hot iron.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou yell, but she doesn't stop.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hear her whine.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I'm sorry,\" she says when you're out of breath.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eIt melts your heart.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe gauze pads stick to you when she switches them, but it hurts less now. You feel her wrapping something around your leg, too loose to be a tourniquet.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia hovers over you when she's finished, her amber eyes a little wet.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Anon?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I'm here,\" you say.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"What day is it?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Sunday?\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer eyes dart between yours for a moment before she kisses you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHard at first, but then more gently when you moan.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou close your eyes, letting her lap at you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eSlowly, you let go of the gun, and stroke her fur.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"You'll be alright,\" she says, finally pulling back. \"We'll take our time.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Okay,\" you say. \"Now let's --\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Stay down, dumbass,\" the she-wolf scolds. Your leg says the same.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I'll carry you.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou flop back.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou can live with that.\n\n \n\n\\\u003ePatricia chokes, getting your attention -- and Talia's. She's looking at the two of you, or it's easier for her to breathe that way.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThe she-wolf stands, looking down at you, then the shepherdess.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Leave her,\" you say. \"Like she should have.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia stares at you, her fists clenching.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThen she shakes her head, and crouches back down to you.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Wait,\" Pat gasps. \"Left-- pouch.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia hesitates, but goes through the agent's belt. She lets out a soft grunt when she finds a small case.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Wanted-- to shoot-- him with it,\" Pat wheezes, watching Talia open up the Kolibri's case. \"Make the-- two of you-- match.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"But-- now-- I should say--\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I'm sorry.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou don't believe your ears.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou stare over at the agent, watching her chest struggle to heave. Talia does too, for a moment, then hands you the case.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe picks up the shepherdess' discarded handgun, dropping it right below the her destroyed shoulder. Then she puts the medical box there, too.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"Goodbye, Officer Birch,\" the she-wolf says, looking down at the shepherdess.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe slings the SKS across her chest and crouches down, scooping you up bridal style, careful about your leg.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eShe wasn't lying.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eThose pawpads _are_ soft.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia looks down at the shepherdess again when you're settled in her arms; Patricia's eyes are scrunched closed.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"And good luck.\"\n\n \n\n\\\u003eTalia carries you away, off towards the lake.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou sigh, relaxing into her arms.\n\n \n\n\\\u003e\"I love you,\" you say.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHer claws dig in gently when she responds in kind.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou go to decock the 1901, the massive gun getting heavy in your hand.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou hear a _click_.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou look down; the hammer fell.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eHuh.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eYou guess you miscounted.\n\n \n\n\\\u003eOtherwise, you'd have just had a Negligent Discharge.\n\n \n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n \n\nPoll:\n\n \n\nhttps://strawpoll.com/polls/kogjkLJq1Z6\n\n \n\nYeen Poll:\n\n \n\nhttps://strawpoll.com/polls/Q0ZpRq6d9nM","series":{"name":"Negligent Discharge: Talia Path(s)","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1977619-nd-talia-path-day-6-resistance.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1982822-nd-talia-path-epilogue-resistance.json"}}